Game program, computer control method, and information processing apparatus

1. A computer-implemented method for operating a computer game, the method comprising:

storing, in a storage module, a plurality of virtual objects and the arrangements of those virtual objects on a game field;

accepting, via an input face configured to detect a touch operation, operation information regarding a touch operation performed by a user;

associating, using a processor, a plurality of virtual objects as a group;

determining, using a processor, whether the operation information comprises a direction operation;

upon determining that the operation information comprises a direction operation, moving, using a moving processor, one or more of the plurality of associated objects as a group in the direction indicated by the direction operation;

storing, in a storage module, the new arrangements on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor;

displaying, on a computer screen, the game field and the plurality of virtual objects arranged on the game field; and

displaying, on a computer screen, the new arrangement on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the operation information further comprises a specifying operation that specifies a first object that is any of the plurality of associated objects, and

wherein the first object is excluded from the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects that is moved by the moving processor.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the game field includes a region into which an object is incapable of progressing, and

wherein, in movement by the moving processor, the moving processor identifies whether a first object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region, and

wherein a first object that is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region is not moved by the movement processor.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the region into which an object is incapable of progressing is a no-move area.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the region into which an object is incapable of progressing is occupied by an obstacle object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein

the movement processor identifies whether a second object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is located on a straight line in the direction indicated by the direction operation with a first object not moved by the movement processor, and

wherein the second object is also not moved by the movement processor.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

each of the plurality of virtual objects has a direction, and

the computer-implemented method further comprises receiving operation information comprising a direction operation and a specifying operation that specifies a portion other than the plurality of objects, and changing the direction of each of the plurality of virtual objects to the direction indicated by the direction operation.

8. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code executable by a computer arranged to operate a computer game, to cause the computer to carry out the following steps:

storing, in a storage module, a plurality of virtual objects and the arrangements of those virtual objects on a game field;

accepting, via an input face configured to detect a touch operation, operation information regarding a touch operation performed by a user;

associating, using a processor, a plurality of virtual objects as a group;

determining, using a processor, whether the operation information comprises a direction operation;

upon determining that the operation information comprises a direction operation, moving, using a moving processor, one or more of the plurality of associated objects as a group in the direction indicated by the direction operation;

storing, in a storage module, the new arrangements on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor;

displaying, on a computer screen, the game field and the plurality of virtual objects arranged on the game field; and

displaying, on a computer screen, the new arrangement on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein

the operation information further comprises a specifying operation that specifies a first object that is any of the plurality of associated objects, and

wherein the first object is excluded from the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects that is moved by the moving processor.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein

the game field includes a region into which an object is incapable of progressing, and

wherein, in movement by the moving processor, the moving processor identifies whether a first object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region, and

wherein a first object that is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region is not moved by the movement processor.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the region into which an object is incapable of progressing is a no-move area.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the region into which an object is incapable of progressing is occupied by an obstacle object.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein

the movement processor identifies whether a second object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is located on a straight line in the direction indicated by the direction operation with a first object not moved by the movement processor, and

wherein the second object is also not moved by the movement processor.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein

each of the plurality of virtual objects has a direction, and

the code executable by a computer arranged to operate a computer game further comprises code causing the computer to receive operation information comprising a direction operation and a specifying operation that specifies a portion other than the plurality of objects, and change the direction of each of the plurality of virtual objects to the direction indicated by the direction operation.

15. A system comprising at least one processor, at least one memory module including computer program code, and at least one terminal apparatus of a player user having a graphical user interface, the at least one memory module and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the system to at least:

store, in a storage module, a plurality of virtual objects and the arrangements of those virtual objects on a game field;

accept, via an input face configured to detect a touch operation, operation information regarding a touch operation performed by a user;

associate, using a processor, a plurality of virtual objects as a group;

determine, using a processor, whether the operation information comprises a direction operation;

upon determining that the operation information comprises a direction operation, move, using a moving processor, one or more of the plurality of associated objects as a group in the direction indicated by the direction operation;

store, in a storage module, the new arrangements on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor;

display, on a computer screen, the game field and the plurality of virtual objects arranged on the game field; and

display, on a computer screen, the new arrangement on the game field of the one or more of the plurality of associated objects moved with the moving processor.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein

the operation information further comprises a specifying operation that specifies a first object that is any of the plurality of associated objects, and

wherein the first object is excluded from the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects that is moved by the moving processor.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein

the game field includes a region into which an object is incapable of progressing, and

wherein, in movement by the moving processor, the moving processor identifies whether a first object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region, and

wherein a first object that is prevented from being moved by the presence of said region is not moved by the movement processor.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the region into which an object is incapable of progressing is one of the set of:

a no-move area, occupied by an obstacle object.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein

the movement processor identifies whether a second object in the group of one or more of the plurality of associated objects to be moved is located on a straight line in the direction indicated by the direction operation with a first object not moved by the movement processor, and

wherein the second object is also not moved by the movement processor.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein

each of the plurality of virtual objects has a direction, and

the computer program code further comprises code causing the computer to receive operation information comprising a direction operation and a specifying operation that specifies a portion other than the plurality of objects, and change the direction of each of the plurality of virtual objects to the direction indicated by the direction operation.